The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-29
,-i-res ~ Special Arraa1-n.rs-coryrfgAtea. 1857
THE FOUR BETSIES
a Sketch from OLD Virginia Life.
By MARION HARLAND.

MY Aunt Betsey had taken me with her to
spend the day with Miss Betsey Crumo. whose
plantation, Windymount, adjoined my grand
Mothers estate OF Summerield on the north.
Two guests had preceded us aud were already
leated at their ease in the wide. airy, first floor
chamber" where the house mistress sat and
lept Miss Betsey Winston's ancestral homo
ind acres lay ten miles away on the river
,oauding our county on the west. The name of
Ter place. Meadowley, had in it sound and sug
.estion of the appearance and manner of the
aild maiden herself
II 'spose its wicked TO say and think such
hines of such nice kind lady" confessed I to
AUNT Betsey, on way home that evening,
"but she always reminds me Of a lean white cat
hat has been sleeping in meal barrel. She is
@ pale and powdery!"
/ also called the face os the fourth visitor
''rumpled." Miss Betsey Jones's sallow skin
vas criss-crossed with such n multitude of fine
wrinkles that could not resist the drol idea
hat she must have been laid away "roueh-dry"
lmooth her cut.
Aunt Betsey had told me her story, and :elt
Jorry for her. Left an orphan at eighteen, she
was cheated Of her fortune by her guardian, and
loon afterward deserted by the man who
perity. at twenty she became house
Keeper and companion in the family
Of distant relative and labored faithfully in
this position for forty years. Then. the old peo-
plo being dead and the younger married, she was
east adrift. Feeble, penniless and IMMERSED in
the ways Of the world, she must have gone to
the poor-house but for the unfailing kindness of
her well-to-do neighbors. She invited from
house to house to pass weeks or months and
made to believe that she earned her living by the
fine needleworx, clear-starching. cake making
and preserving, in which she was an adept Ev-
ery body treated her with delicacy and consider
alton, aud she was fed on the fat of the land.
wondered. to-day, more than ever, why she re-
manned so emaciated, and il it were possible for
time and trouble to find room for another hair
line on her face
4 lace cap, trimmed with straw-colored ribbons,
and blue forget-me-nots crowned an auburn
false front" couture which agreed with her
grizzled eyebrows and crows-feet as orange
blossoms would become a mummy. Bits of old
lace. of different patterns neatly darned. were
basted in the neck and cuffs OF her gown; her
figure was as straight and angular as tobacco
stick, her eyes a faded blue. and n funny
little knob Of natural growth the end of her
nose supported her spectacles.
She occupied n cushioned rocking chair, as did
Miss Betsey Winston and my widowed aunt
Mrs Betsey Waddell. The hostess tolerated
Ind kept rockers for visitors herself sitting in
but four inches high. She ''never could
what 3e healthy people had for any backs ex-
eept the spines the Almighty had given them"
1t was III o'clock a bright May day. The
locust blooms were drifting Whitley upon the
grassy yard, and the broad-le catalpas
Jpread such an awning above tho porch steps on
which set that Aunt Betsey did not insist
my sun bonnet or hint ut freckles
judith forgot her knitting" said her clear,
sweet voice. in explanation OF my folded hands.
Pallid Miss Betsey Winston looked benignly
M me nar
ut doesn't hurt good little girls to have play
time once in n while. If had known she would
be here / would have brought Sam or Tommy
along 10 keep her company
Aunt. Betsy began to ask questions about the
orphaned grand-nephews who had, with Miss
Winston home and such "mothering" ia
sometimes given in richest plenitude by women
on whose lips no husbands kiss ever laid,
who will never clasp babies of their to
hearts full to aching with maternal love Child
less Mrs. Waddell had such wealth OF nieces and
nephews besides being aunt by adoption to all
the young people of the neiehborhood, that the
salk between the two was comparison of nurs-
Dry notes. Miss Betsy Jones put n colorless bit
INTO the domestic mosaic at intervals. generally
reminiscent Of when the Hopkins children were
ittle."
All four Of the friends knit while they chatted.
Aunt Betsey and Miss Winston at work on
boys socks of notified yarn Miss Jones was set
ling the heel OF long lambs wool stocking;
Miss Crump ploughed through a huge sock OF
soarse gray. evidently for one of her servants.
Her needles clanked, while those welded by the
others clicked Mrs. Waddelrs bombazine
gown and her cap trimmed with black love"
band she had buried ive-and-twenty years be-
fore. Miss Winston's robe was black satin, her
zap of finest lace; ring containing hair and set
with pearls. was on her left hand. large brooch
that matched 1t fastened handsome collar.
Miss Betsey Crumps gown russell stuff.
and untrimmed; cap of
the simplest pattern tied under her
shin, giving the narrowest glimpse of
ner black hair. streaked with gray, lawn kerr
,hief folded over her flat bust. had heard
Aunt Betsey regret that "Betsey Crump dressed
30 old" 1t seemed proper TO me that she should
She had certainly left youth weary way be-
hind her. A brstle of gray mustachios tufted
1er upper lip; her chin square, her eyes
we're black and snapped when she spoke.
''Good gracious" she rent her way into the
sven threaded web of conference to say. "Any
BODY would think to hear you folks talk that
children were born into the world on purpose to
ret sick and hurt themselves and outgrow and
ear their clothes, and get into peoples way gem
,rally. I'm mighty thankful l amt called by
Providence to look after any of 'em, nor after
nan neither, for that matter"
"Come GOMEZ said Aunt Betsey, in gen tie
-aillery. Don't boast Of flying in the face of
Providence. 1 don't see how you reconcile
{ TO your conscience not to give some man a
capital wife. 1t would a help to you, too, to
have q manager for this great big plantation
Consider your ways. Betsey. There's time
enough yet"
Miss Crurnp threw up her head with derisive
milf.
Every Oody To thelr tasto. wine QOn Z run In
he way o. putting chain round my neck. an a
rnip into my masters hand. thank heavenr
''Fiei fe! There are good husbands as well as
rood women-just as many too: What If your
,eaux should hear youl" pursued Aunt Betsey,
That's kind of cattle never dealt in"
'sYou don't expect US to believe that. There
lever was a toleraby attractive woman out of
, nunuery who didn't have at least offer
before she was forty"
Miss Crumps needles clanked apace. Her
hort laugh was harsh.
Don't know about the rest of you. Betsey
Winston there, told me once that the reason she
never married was, the men who would have
Ter she didn't want, and the men she would have
lidn't want her. l never had offer in my
ife. More'n that. not man ever so much as
ooked Mt me like he wanted to pop the parable
Praps l am the one woman in creation who can
say il, but amt ashamed o the truth. and I've
given it to you, plain, dry, so--Betsey Wad-
aellr'
II wouldn't have believed it!' rejoined my
sweet-natured relative. II don't know what the |
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